Wentworth Miller has once again penned some eloquent thoughts on queer representation, including critiques of his own performances. On Sunday, the out actor posted a black and white video of a kiss between Leo Snart, a character he portrayed on the CW’s Legends of Tomorrow, and The Ray, played by Russell Tovey (Looking).
Underneath the photo, Miller opened by quoting a comment on one of his previous Instagram posts, in which a fan wrote that there needed to be more communication between LGBTQ+ fans and creators to “pave the way for more inclusion.” Miller agreed, stating: “If I ran a show leading with diversity/inclusion, I’d set up a dedicated online forum where the writers and I can connect with fans, hear concerns, get feedback.”
The 48-year-old went on to detail his own concerns about the kiss scene he posted, saying that he was grateful that the character was written as gay and that there were “2 gay actors playing 2 gay superheroes.” “[I]t needed tweaking,” he added.
Miller revealed that he actually pushed for a rewrite of a line in which the two gay superheroes in question disclosed they were getting married, and his character said something akin to: “I just want something normal.” Miller disagreed with this framing of same-sex marriages, calling the sentiment “homonormative” and saying that he himself does not plan to get married.
The term “homonormativity” was popularized by queer scholar Lisa Duggan in a 2003 essay and refers to a trend in queer politics that upholds and sustains “dominant heteronormative assumptions and institutions” and endorses “a privatized, depoliticized gay culture anchored in domesticity and consumption.”
Some, like Miller, consider gay marriage to be emblematic of this trend. “I didn’t want Leo framing marriage as ‘normal’ for folks (kids) watching,” he wrote. “A ton of queer folks are living full/content lives outside the marriage construct.”
Following his feedback, the line was accordingly revised to something along the lines of “I’m looking for a new adventure,” according to the actor.
Miller stated that he had this behind-the-scenes confrontation because “it reflects my lived experience,” although he also acknowledged that not all actors have the privilege of asking for rewrites.
Miller ended by detailing another “tweak” pertaining to a scene in which Leo and Ray argue while Ray changes clothing. He claimed that the first draft of the scene called for his character to “blush and turn away” when Ray took off his shirt, to which he says he responded: “Hello. They’re lovers.”
“Pretty sure it was the person who wrote that [scene] who wanted to blush and turn away,” he concluded, adding, “Dear Writer(s): Don’t.”
The actor also recently wrote on Instagram about his decision to leave Fox’s Prison Break, which was similarly spurred by frustrations with queer representation and a desire not to “play straight” anymore. He wrote that while he had previously kept his sexuality hush due to a “don’t ask, don’t tell” mentality in Hollywood, at this point in his career he wants to “center it in a way that cannot be missed by myself or anyone else.”
Judging by his Instagram presence alone, Miller is definitely raising the bar for us all — and doing it flawlessly.
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